ibid. — Anglesey. Rev. H. Davies, ibid. — Woods and shady places in Scot- 
land, plentiful. Dr. Hookeh, in FI. Scot. — Debris below Salisbury Craigs. 
Mr, Neill, in Grev. FI. Edin. — Rosslyn and Auchindenny Woods, abundant : 
Coiinton Woods : Braid Hermitage. Dr. GnF.vn.LE, in FI. Edin. — Plentiful at 
the Dargle, Ireland. Mr. J. T. Mackay, in Catal. of PI. of Ireland. 
Perennial. — Flowers in April and May. 
Root creeping, slender, jointed, of a yellowish colour. Stems 
upright, from 6 to 10 or 12 inches high, simple, smooth, four- 
cornered, with a groove on each side. Leaves growing generally 
8 together in a whorl round the stem, spear-shaped, pointed, about 
an inch long, spreading, smooth, a little rolled back at the sides, the 
margins and midrib set with small spines, which point towards the 
summit. Panicles generally 3 together, at the top of the stem, on 
longish stalks, which are forked and subdivided. Flowers small, 
pure white, with a short tube; fragrant chiefly at night. Fruit 
rough, with projecting hooked bristles. 
The strongly aromatic flowers infused in water, it is said, far ex- 
cel in flavour the teas imported from China; and the whole plant, 
as soon as it begins to dry, diffuses a pleasant and lasting fragrance, 
like that of new hay, verging towards the flavour of bitter almonds. 
In Germany it is used to give a grateful flavour to wine. When 
kept among clothes it not only imparts an agreeable perfume to 
them, but it is said also to preserve them from insects. According 
to the observations of Linnaeus, cows, horses, sheep, and goats, eat 
it ; swine refuse it. 
The English names of this plant in old authors are very various : 
Turner, in his Herbal, published in 1568, calls it Wood-rose, or 
Wood-rowell, from the whorls of leaves resembling some kinds of 
rowels of spurs. Gerarde Woodrooffe, Woodrowe, and Wood- 
rowell. Parkinson Woodroofe. Dr. Withering says, that in 
some old authors it is spelt Woodderowjfe. The repetition of the 
double letters in this word often affords great amusement to children 
learning to spell, (w oo dd e — r o w ff e.) 
